The Ballarat Independent.

Ballarat's community groups performing at Buninyong Brewery to assist refugees

The Mayor of Ballarat, Cr Mark Harris has today called on the Commonwealth Government to refund approximately $1.5 million in contributions tax paid on the Defined Benefits Superannuation Scheme top up in response to Grants Commission funding cuts.

From this week, all City of Ballarat planning applications that are advertised to residents can be viewed at Council's website

Application details including plans and supporting reports can be viewed online throughout the 14 day advertising period.

The City of Ballarat Councillors tonight voted to delay their consideration of the Draft 2012-13 Budget for Ballarat by two weeks.

The Councillors voted unanimously to defer their budget consideration in order to seek further information on the level of additional funding that will be required for the defined benefits superannuation scheme.

Poetry. It doesn't steal headlines - it's rarely in the news. It won't tell you how to invest your money and it won't keep you warm at night (unless with the aid of a match).

But it is everywhere in our society - schools, advertising, songs, and with the help of dedicated organisation Australian Poetry (AP), it is also in our cafes. Since 2010, AP has been nurturing poets through the Cafe Poet Program, providing residencies for poets all across Australia. Now it's Ballarat's turn.

On Sunday 8th July a meeting will be held at Trades Hall Ballarat at 2pm for all people interested in opposing the cuts to TAFE provision and education and training in our region. Everyone is invited, if they want to listen, if they want to speak or if they want to become actively involved.

Calling All Contemporary Visual Artists, Designers, & Makers

The City of Ballarat Backspace Gallery is now accepting submissions for its 2013 exhibition program.

Backspace Gallery is an artist-focused initiative of the City of Ballarat Arts & Cultural Development, dedicated to showcasing quality contemporary art, design, & craft.

Spyndrift, Otways dynamic dance band serve up a visual feast at Portico on Saturday May 5th

21 March 2012

VicRoads will hold an information session about projects to improve safety and traffic
flow along Ballarat-Buninyong Road this week.

VicRoads Regional Director Western Victoria Ewen Nevett said community members are
invited to attend the information session on Saturday 24 March in Mt Clear.

Work has now begun to progressively turn off all Metcard ticket vending machines across the metropolitan public transport network in Victoria, with machines at stations on the Williamstown, Werribee and Sydenham lines the first to stop selling Metcard tickets.
Concession passengers need to prepare for the turning off and removal of Metcard ticket machines, as when an unstaffed railway station is fully converted to myki, concession passengers without a myki will no longer be able to purchase a concession ticket at the time of travel.

During 2011 a large and somewhat anarchic group formed to discuss and lobby for the arts. The membership of around 500 arts practitioners and supporters grew from facebook discussions about invigorating and nurturing the arts of this region.

While the international campaign 16 days of activism to end violence against women gains force across the world, Victorians have been marking the event creatively. A hip-hop CD containing messages against violence and promoting respectful relationships has been created and distributed across the country, with the Ballarat CASA branch distributing for this region.

The Boy From Oz receives 3 awards from Music Theatre Guild of Victoria

Following the success of the previous Design Exchange Markets it has quickly developed a reputation as a market not to be missed. The Design Exchange is a designer market held three times a year, bringing together emerging designers and contemporary artists from all over Victoria.

Residents of Blackwood, Barrys Reef, Dales Creek, Golden Point and Simmons Reef are invited to an evacuation planning information session on Wednesday 14 December.

A trail of open art studios for visitors to meander along, much like a visit to a winery district, but sampling visual delights. Another alternative for artists to formal galleries, applying for grants, writing applications, and paying both hire costs and hefty commissions to get their work shown. The inaugural Ballarat Arts Trail is on the first weekend in December, 2011.

It's been a debilitating week full of unease and inconvenience for embattled Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the dysfunctional Labor-Green Government.

There are alternatives for artists to formal galleries, applying for grants, writing applications, and paying both hire costs and hefty commissions to get their work shown.

'Wind Energy, Myths and facts' is a short animated film which has been created in response to the common myths and confusions that threaten the future development of wind farms.

The University of Ballarat is leading a campaign to establish an Australian History Network within the region.

A terrible tragedy played out in the Senate this week when Labor and Bob Brown's minority Greens combined to betray the Australian people and vote in a carbon tax.

A tragedy for democracy because there was little debate on a toxic tax Prime Minister Julia Gillard had no mandate to introduce.

There were several themes that came out of the recent Arts Forum. One of these was the difficulty many creatives feel in finding and connecting with other artists. There is perceived to be a lack of opportunity for artists to meet each other.

There are no excuses now!

BREAZE is very excited to join with the Ballarat Permaculture Guild, Friends of Royal Park and the Ballarat East Community Garden, to present ‘Local Food at the Ballarat Show'.

Belinda Coates from the Ballarat Greens explains her involvement in the Civic Hall issue and says it is not a new issue for the Ballarat Greens, having spoken out in 2010.

Greek community event at St Nicholas' Church and Aust Ex-POW Memorial to mark Hellenic National Day (28 Oct) and Remembrance Day (11 Nov))

The ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) study will determine if Aspirin can help maintain good physical and mental health in senior years. Particular areas of interest are in the prevention of heart attack, stroke and some cancers, cognitive and physical decline.

The Hepburn Community Wind Farm was declared officially open yesterday when 10 year old Neve Bosher of St Augustine's School in Creswick cut a massive ribbon wrapping the girth of a 68m high wind tower, in front of more than 760 people.

Miss Bosher beat a field of 147 other school children in the region, in a competition to name the 2 REpower wind turbines. Her winning names are Gale and Gusto.

Message from Prime Minister Julia Gillard for the opening of Hepburn Community Windfarm.

Ballarat Residents and Ratepayers Association Inc (BRRA) has formed a sub?committee called the "Civic Hall Project Citizens Committee". Its purpose is to work on assessing the Council's civic hall proposed project from the perspective of the benefits to the community and the city.

The Ballarat Greens say that Ballarat City Council is trying to push through their $40million redevelopment plans quickly because they know that the campaign against this proposal is rapidly gaining momentum.

Roll up, roll up, the first weekend in November brings us the three day creative extravaganza that is the Ballarat Artisan Festival.

‘Not Violent - Not Silent' and ‘Violence against women stinks' will be the key slogans used as part of a campaign to support White Ribbon Day.

Council's garbage truck fleet will promote the messages in support of the White Ribbon Day campaign to end violence against women.

Year 10 Japanese language students from five Ballarat secondary schools will put their language skills to the test today in the 2011 Inagawa Speech and Cultural Competition.

The seventh annual speech competition is sponsored by the City of Ballarat and run by the Ballarat Japanese Teachers Network.

Belinda Coates, Ballarat Greens spokesperson, has called on Ballarat City Council to put the brakes on plans to demolish Civic Hall in view of widespread community concern about the proposed $40million redevelopment. Greg Barber, Greens Upper House MP, questioned Matthew Guy, Liberal Party Planning Minister, in parliament last night and was told that it is a matter for City Council to resolve.

Three cranes have arrived at Australian Centre for Democracy @Eureka (ACD@E) to commence work on the removal of the former Eureka Centre mast.

Works will commence from tomorrow morning (Thursday 27/10).

A roundup of the public art happenings so far and the current paid opportunities available for artists to enliven the Ballarat area.

The Ballarat business community, residents and Council Officers are rallying to clean up and recover after Saturday's flash storm event.

The City of Ballarat has been out talking with residents and businesses who have reported damage from the hail event.

The Civic Hall Walk (yesterday 23/10/11) was an open and well supported community event. It's estimated that in excess of 500 people attended the walk to show support against the City of Ballarat's proposed $40m redevelopment of the Civic Hall precinct (300 Mair Street).

Fun will be the name of the game in the Phoenix Mall on Thursday (27/10), when families descend on the Ballarat CBD, to celebrate children.

The seventh annual Children's Fun Day will be hosted by Ballarat City Council, along with other family and children's services based in Ballarat.

Musicians of all ages are being encouraged to apply for the 2011 Balhausen Bequest Organ Scholarship.

The successful recipient will receive a year of free organ tuition from Ballarat City Organist Bruce Keck.

The Ballarat municipality was subjected to Saturday's flash storm event.

The City of Ballarat responded rapidly with three teams dispatched to check road conditions and impacts on residential and business areas.

Two hundred and nine additional car parking spaces will be constructed at Prince of Wales Park.

Local company, Wayne Horne Earthmoving, was awarded the contract for the project this week.

$2.6 million provided by the former Labor Government to improve Geelong Road traffic flow and modify the Whitehorse Road roundabout has still not been spent by the Baillieu Coalition Government.

The Ballarat Greens have welcomed widespread community opposition to a $40 million Council proposal to demolish Civic Hall and build new office space for themselves. They say the City of Ballarat is misleading the community.

The driver of the 300 Mair Street project was always to unlock a key site in Ballarat's Central Business District for commercial development and job creation.

This site can yield a suite of commercial developments that will deliver almost half the required commercial space for Ballarat's CBD over time with the capacity to house up to 1,500 new jobs and up to 1,000 car parks.

Fast food advertising on prime time television and the future of plastic shopping bags will be debated by Year 5 and 6 students attending an outreach program run by the Parliament of Victoria in the Council Chamber of the Ballarat Town Hall this week.

On October 24, 2111, the residents of Ballarat will open a time capsule that will have been buried for 100 years. Inside they'll find an array of 2011 coins; newspapers, and messages of good will from local school children, residents and the Mayor of Ballarat, Cr Craig Fletcher.

Community safety was in the limelight on Wednesday (19/10) with the inaugural Rural and Safety Conference and the announcement of the 2011 Community Safety Awards.

Council hosted the inaugural Rural and Regional Safety Conference on Wednesday 19 October at the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

Ballarat City Council, Ballarat ICT and leading technology experts have welcomed the Federal Government's announcement that it will begin to roll out the next phase of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in Central Ballarat in April next year.

Preliminary works have begun on the new Village Green at the Alfredton Recreation Reserve.

Appointed project contractors Turf One are setting up on site.

Local artists and curators are encouraged to apply for the 2012 Backspace exhibition program. The space is available free of charge and no commission is taken on sales.

Backspace arts venue is an exhibition space owned and managed by Council. It provides a professional opportunity for local artists at various stages in their career to present works in a supported setting.

The Friends of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens group and Botanical Garden's staff will join together tomorrow for the ‘rededication' of the McDonald Gateway which has had a $30,000 facelift courtesy of the Friends.

The recipients of the 2011 City of Ballarat Youth Awards will be announced at a free event to be held at the Regent Multiplex Cinemas tomorrow night (14/10) at 6.30pm.

The Youth Awards were developed by the City of Ballarat Youth Council and Youth Services, to provide an opportunity for the community to celebrate and recognise Ballarat's many young people who make a positive contribution to the community.

A third dredge will take to the water of Lake Wendouree today as work on the rowing course upgrade continues.

The dredge will begin work in the centre of the lake, complementing the progress being made by the other two dredges which are working from the start (eastern end) and finish (western end) of the rowing course.

To mark National Week of Deaf People - 15 to 21 October - Ballarat Regional Library Service will host a number of activities, using the sign language of Auslan,

The National Week of Deaf People (NWDP) is a week-long national celebration of Deaf individuals and the Deaf Australian community.

Council seeks Ballarat residents to provide input into the future development of arts and culture in the city.

If you are involved in the arts in any capacity, whether it be as a practitioner or as part of the audience, Council wants your feedback.

The City of Ballarat is going the extra mile to promote environmental sustainability and health awareness by taking part in National Ride to Work Day on Wednesday, 12 October.

Ride to Work Day is a simple yet effective way in which Ballarat residents can contribute to improving their overall health and reduce their impact on the environment.

Initial proposals for the remaining three precincts in the Ballarat West Growth Area were presented to landowners and stakeholders today at the Ballarat Town Hall.

Attendees were asked to comment on the plans for the Bonshaw Creek, Greenhalghs Road and Carngham Road precincts which have been updated following the initial consultation session in August.

A wireless CCTV camera network may be introduced across the region if a funding application through the State Government's ‘Public Safety Infrastructure Fund' is successful.

The funding application will be made to State Government as part of a collaborative project between the five local government areas of Ballarat, Moorabool, Hepburn, Golden Plains and Pyrenees.

Australian Business Arts Foundation (AbaF) Victoria will be presenting two information sessions at the Art Gallery of Ballarat Annexe on Thursday 20 October. These sessions are free of charge and offered courtesy of the City of Ballarat. Eric Lilja, Director of AbaF Victoria will present both sessions.

Primary school students in Ballarat have only a week left to submit their ideas on a new name for Willow Island at Lake Wendouree.

The City of Ballarat is running a renaming competition to find a more considered name for the island which was completed in 2008.

Plans for the ‘MS 24 Hour Mega Swim' are well underway but more swimmers and supporters are wanted.

The City of Ballarat is proud to be supporting the ‘MS 24 Hour Mega Swim', a fun community event that raises money for MS Australia's Go for Gold Foundation which provides scholarships to people living with Multiple Sclerosis.

Recipients of the 2011 City of Ballarat Youth Awards will be announced at a free event to be held at the Regent Multiplex Cinemas next Friday (14/10) at 6.30pm.

The Youth Awards were developed by the City of Ballarat Youth Council and Youth Services, to provide an opportunity for the community to celebrate and recognise Ballarat's many young people who make a positive contribution to the community.

The City of Ballarat's draft Reconciliation Action Plan is now available for public comment.

The draft plan was adopted at an Ordinary Meeting of Ballarat City Council last night (28/09).

Registrations are now open for the inaugural Rural and Regional Safety Conference 2011.

The free conference, to be hosted by the City of Ballarat, will be held on Wednesday 19 October at the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

Improvements will be made to the footpath on the north side of the Sturt and Learmonth Street intersection following the completion of the Arch of Victory roundabout.

City of Ballarat Councillor Noel Perry said the works on the Arch had prompted Council staff to consider improvements to the footpath.

Ballarat is doing its share to celebrate World Tourism Day, with the city remaining in the top three Victorian tourism destinations.

World Tourism Day is being celebrated internationally today, Tuesday 27 September.

The Ballarat Libraries school holiday program kicked off yesterday, leaving local children spoilt for choice this break.

Activities will take place on almost every weekday of the school holidays with something for all ages and abilities.

The City of Ballarat will ensure its building services operate at best practice when it adopts a new model from 1 October, 2011.

Following a recent review, Council's Building Services unit will transition its building services to a statutory-only focused model.

Local arts identity, Garry West, has taken out the 2011 Ballarat Senior of the Year Award, announced at the Town Hall by Cr John Philips today (23/09).

Garry was presented with the award for his commitment to seeing people fulfil their dreams in the art and music industries. His work has enabled people of all ages to participate in music and theatre and realise their potential.

Students from the Ballarat Deaf Facility will feature in a large scale animation to be digitally projected on to the Town Hall throughout National Week of Deaf People, 15 to 21 October.

The animation is being created by University of Ballarat Graphic Art student Hannah Shuttleworth and will involve students from the Ballarat Deaf Facility signing "From Little Things Big Things Grow", which is this year's theme for National Week of Deaf People.

The Liberal Member for Western Victoria, Simon Ramsay MLC, will be among the panellists at a meeting to discuss plans for the development of the Civic Hall site in Ballarat.

The $40 million dollar project to demolish the Civic Hall, subdivide the land, and build a new Council office on a corner of the site has stirred significant debate and confusion amongst Ballarat residents.

The City of Ballarat is calling for an Expression of Interest seeking individuals and groups to run a swap meet style event in Ballarat.

Ballarat has enjoyed the economic benefits of a swap meet over the last few years and accommodation providers and other businesses have expressed their desire to ensure an event of this nature continues in Ballarat.

Spring has sprung and, with beautiful weather forecast, what better way to spend the coming weekend than in the garden?

Lake weed currently being harvested from Lake Wendouree is available to collect free of charge so it's a perfect time to make compost for the gardens.

The former Ballarat Fire Station has been added to the Victoria Heritage Register.

Located at 702 Sturt St, the building was added because of its historical and architectural significance to the state of Victoria.

City of Ballarat Councillor Samantha McIntosh said the building is believed to be the oldest fire station in Victoria.

At its ordinary meeting last night (14/9), Ballarat City Council received a report that consolidated all of the risk analysis undertaken throughout the 300 Mair Street project.

The report said in preparing the Civic Hall Risk Management Matrix, Council officers have engaged in detailed risk management activities to reduce risk factors related to the project since the project's inception.

The matrix outlines key risks to the project, the likelihood of the risks and strategies being used to mitigate potential risks.

Ballarat International Foto Bienalle (BIFB) 2011 has been a great success thanks to thousands of volunteer hours bringing the festival together. Festival Director Jeff Moorfoot told The Ballarat Independent that the festival was an economic boost for Ballarat, with at least $2 million injected into the local economy.

Jeff Moorfoot, Director of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale (BIFB) 2011, announces the winner of the Fringe Prize. Watch the announcement and an interview with the winner Ewen Bell, a Melbourne based photographer. Ewen's show 'The Elephant Camp' was chosen from a shortlist of 16 BIFB Fringe shows.

With the start of the cricket season imminent, work is underway to install new cricket nets at the Marty Busch Recreation Reserve in Sebastopol.

The new nets consist of four runways - including one specifically for wicket keeping. They are being installed as part of the draft Marty Busch Recreation Reserve Master Plan, which is yet to be adopted by Council, but provides some agreed direction for the Reserve's ongoing development.

The Apex Foundation enthusiastically supports Ballarat City Council's request that State Government reduce the number of electronic gaming machines in the city.

Apex Foundation Chairman Jim Hughes said the community group commends City of Ballarat for its community leadership position with regard to the number of electronic gaming machines within the city and their effect on the Ballarat community's health and well being.

Central and western Victoria, October 3 - 7, 2011.

Warrnambool, Colac, Ballarat, Geelong, Melbourne

This spring FoE is hosting a series of forums to highlight the threat posed by Coal Seam Gas (CSG), coal, and shale gas across rural Victoria.

Members of the Bendigo Heritage Advisory Committee visited Ballarat recently after hearing about the variety of successful heritage work being undertaken in the city.

The group met with the Ballarat Heritage Advisory Group to discuss recent activities, plans for the next 12 months and emerging issues and responses.

Hepburn Wind has been announced as a finalist in the 2011 Banksia Awards, Australia's most prestigious environmental awards series.

The Hepburn Community Wind Farm, located in Leonards Hill in Central Victoria, has been nominated as a finalist in the education award category for its pioneering clean energy model and its efforts to catalyse a whole new sector - community owned renewable energy.

The search has begun for the right person to run an exciting new component of the Australian Centre for Democracy @ Eureka.

Expressions of interest are being sought for suitably qualified and experienced people to operate as tenants of the proposed new café at the centre.

Westbound traffic will begin to travel under Ballarat's historic Arch of Victory again this Sunday evening (11 September).

Sturt Street will be closed to westbound traffic west of the Arch, for most of the day on Sunday (6am to 4pm), and traffic detours will be in place while concrete barriers are removed from the roadway.

Ballarat has secured another major event coup with the inaugural Ballarat Triathlon MultiSport Festival and Under 23 State Championships to be held at Lake Wendouree later this year.

Hundreds of Competitors from across the state are expected to flock to the lake precinct for the event, which will take place on the last weekend of spring, November 26 and 27.

Ballarat residents will recognise and remember people who have taken their own lives at the ‘Out of the Shadows' walk on Saturday (10/09).

The walk will be followed by a barbecue breakfast to mark the official launch of the new Ballarat Suicide Prevention Network.

Ballarat will host the 2014 World Masters Rowing Championships, welcoming more than 10,000 competitors and spectators to the shores of Lake Wendouree.

Ballarat's successful bid was announced last night by FISA, the world rowing governing body, at the completion of the 2011 World Masters Rowing Championships in Slovenia.

Public art in Ballarat is about to have a Renaissance, with plans for the roll out of six exciting public art projects in the next month.

The projects involve new sculptures and a painting-based project and will be will be rolled out in laneways running off the Bridge Mall; the indigenous playground on the western shore of Lake Wendouree; on traffic signal boxes at twenty locations across the City; and in Learmonth.

Residents will have a chance to have their say on the City of Ballarat's draft Gaming Policy Framework, proposed to become part of the Ballarat Planning Scheme.

The draft framework forms part of Council's push to reduce the number of Electronic Gaming Machines (EGMs) in the city, following the adoption of the Gaming Machine Community Policy on 24 August.

Twenty six schools in Ballarat's Friendship District of Ainaro, Timor Leste, will receive tennis equipment as part of a project by the City of Ballarat's Friends of Ainaro Community Committee and the Wendouree Men's Shed.

A visit to Ainaro by self-confessed tennis enthusiast and Ballarat resident, Pauline Corcoran in 2009 has led to the development of an unlikely partnership. Although not a big part of the sporting scene in Timor Leste, Pauline felt that tennis would be a good sport for the Timorese to become involved with.

Two key intersections in Buninyong will be retrofitted in coming months to ensure easier and safer access for people with disabilities as part of a broader program which will see $105,000 spent this year to upgrade Ballarat's pedestrian infrastructure to meet Disability and Discrimination Act (DDA) guidelines.

Three local high school bands will enjoy an opportunity of a lifetime on Saturday (03/09) when they play with one of Australia's biggest up and coming bands in Australia.

Work has begun to replace a crossing at Slattery Creek on the Addington-Creswick Road, which was washed out by floods in February this year.

Excavation and removal of the old culvert is complete and preparation works for the new culvert base will begin next week.

Ballarat Mayor Craig Fletcher has welcomed news that Ballarat's crime rate has dropped almost 10 per cent over the past 12 months.

Victoria Police figures released today showed that overall crime rates in Ballarat had fallen by 9.5 per cent in 2010-11.

Restrictive new planning rules introduced today by the Baillieu Government place large parts of Victoria ‘off-limits' for wind farm developments.

"These arbitrary, draconian restrictions will cost Victoria billions of dollars and thousands of jobs," said Friends of the Earth campaign coordinator Cam Walker.

Residents in the Montogomery St, Wendouree precinct will have a chance to share their ideas for the redevelopment of their local playspace tomorrow.

Council is inviting the community to have their say on the plans to develop Ballarat's Bakery Hill entrance precinct.

Ballarat's Eureka spirit will once again be celebrated at the fourth annual Eureka Game between AFL clubs Richmond and North Melbourne, to be held this Sunday 4 September, at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne.

The City of Ballarat is leading the national debate on problem gambling with its resolution to advocate the Victorian State Government for a reduction in the city's gaming machines.

More than 85 landowners attended an information session about the Ballarat West Growth Area last night.

Hosted by the City of Ballarat and SMEC Urban, the session provided landowners with an opportunity to have their say on draft layouts for precincts, 1, 2 and 4 of the project.

A new concrete footpath in Dundas Street Miners Rest linking intersecting streets to the Miners Rest Primary School is the biggest project completed this financial year through the City of Ballarat Footpath Program.

Repairs to Moneghetti Track at Lake Wendouree have progressed well over past weeks.

Three kilometres of track damaged by the unusually wet winter to date have been stabilised with cement and granitic sand.

More than 6500 square metres at the ‘finish' of the Lake Wendouree rowing course has been excavated since a trial dredging program on the lake began two weeks ago.

Ballarat's youngest shoppers have a brand new area to discover, with the opening of the new play space in the Bridge Mall.

Scaffolding will be removed from the Arch of Victory over the coming days.

The final coat of mineral paint has been applied this week with finer weather allowing this process to occur without disruption.

Work has commenced this week to replace 140 metres of retaining wall at Lake Esmond.

The existing walls have reached the end of their lifespan and will be replaced with walls of sturdier construction. The new wall will be constructed from timber and steel rather than just hardwood.

Primary school students across Ballarat are being asked to come up with a new name for Willow Island at Lake Wendouree.

Located off the Windmill Drive foreshore, Willow Island was constructed primarily as an educational venue for schools with relevance to a range of studies including history, geology, biology and visual art.

Two Civic Hall public meetings have been announced, one this Saturday 20 August, the other 18 September. The August meeting is being promoted and organised largely thorugh Facebook while the Setpember meeting is a more formal affair being arranged by the Ballarat Residents and Ratepayers Association.

Planning permits have been received by the City of Ballarat for the Ballarat Airport Infrastructure Upgrade project.

Organisers of the Ballarat Car are gathering some last minute Come to Life goodies that they will give away to children they meet as part of the 2011 Variety Bash 'Across Bass Straight'.

The Ballarat Town Hall's ‘A Hall' will open its doors to the public to feature two photographic exhibitions as part of the 2011 Ballarat International Foto Biennale.

Ballarat Residents and Ratepayers Association Inc (BRRA) believes the community should have more input than they have had in the past into big decisions such as the recent $40m civic hall project.

Ballarat businesses will learn the secrets to writing successful tenders through the City of Ballarat's Tender Write workshop series.

The five-workshop series will kick off on Thursday 18 August and will include three hands on workshops to assist businesses in perfecting their tender writing skills.

People in Ballarat will have noticed weed clearing from Lake Wendouree and beautiful expanses of open water beginning to appear.

30% of the total lake weed area to be harvested has now been completed. This equates to 38 hectares and 700 compacted tonnes of weed.

Up to 250 Year Ten Science students will participate in the Science and Engineering Challenge at the University of Ballarat‚s Mt Helen Campus this Friday, 22 July.

Eight local high schools will each enter a team of between 24 and 40 students. The teams will then be divided into eight groups of three to five students.

Community group, BREAZE has today welcomed the renewable energy commitments delivered by the carbon price package and called for them to be rolled out as soon as possible.

Public Holidays in Victoria are for working Mums and Dads to be able to take time off with their families, and Ballarat Show day holiday allows workers to take their children to the show.

Holidays are good for our health, right? Holidays help to reduce stress too, don't they?

In fact, research shows that reducing stress is one of the primary motivations for taking a holiday.

As the Government's carbon committee negotiations draw to a close in Canberra, Hepburn Wind, Australia's first community-owned wind farm, located 10km south of Daylesford, Victoria, began exporting energy to the electricity grid today.

The Clunes area will receive $890,000 over the next four years to identify and implement local solutions to social disadvantage facing Clunes, Talbot and Creswick, Member for Western Region David O'Brien said today.

Professors Erica and Andy Smith of the University of Ballarat have won an Australian Research Council Linkage grant for a project titled 'Recognising the Skill in Jobs Traditionally Considered Unskilled'.